In separate reporting on the war, living conditions in Enerhodar were described as directly linked to safety at the Zaporizhzhia plant.
He said those restrictions were helping Russians kill more Ukrainians and carry out more accurate strikes, France 24 reported.
Zelensky said Starshield systems were not working above 100 mph, or 161 km/h.
He called that ceiling a significant complication for intercepting faster Russian jet-powered drones.
On his account, the network drops out once targets pass 100 mph, which is the problem he raised for stopping the quicker jet-powered drones.
He presented the speed limit and the human cost as linked, saying the restrictions were already aiding more lethal and more accurate Russian strikes.
Ukraine's contract with the US-based SpaceX service for accessing the network expires next year.
The expiry puts a date on the current access deal even as Zelensky says operational limits are already affecting how the systems can be used in combat.
France 24 reported the Starshield remarks as Russian attacks continued in more than one part of the country.
Explosions were heard in Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday, a Reuters witness said.